The Citizen reports that MPs heard on Tuesday that the government should immediately implement the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act (CIPA) as its “soft approach” to train vandals and arsonists has led to the further marginalisation of the poor.  

The National Assembly was holding an urgent debate on the impact the ongoing damage to public rail infrastructure was having on poor commuters.  While they all conceded that the damage to the railways was further marginalising the poor, who had to resort to spending 500% more on alternative transport, African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) leader Reverend Kenneth Meshoe blamed the absence of harsh punishment.  He noted that the CIPA had been signed into law in November last year, but its provisions of sentencing train arsonists to as much as 20 years imprisonment had never been implemented.  Meshoe said:  “To my knowledge, nobody so far has received such a sentence for destroying the country’s infrastructure.  The government must take full responsibility for this sad state of affairs because of their soft approach when they are dealing with criminals.  There must be some serious consequences for those damaging and destroying public infrastructure.  Without severe punishment ... then the problem we are debating will continue unabated and the poor and vulnerable will continue to be the ones suffering the most.”

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Rorisang Kgosana on page 6 of The Citizen of 4 November 2020

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